Disclaimer: Anything that rings a bell belongs to J.K Rowling

Chapter Twenty: Bane

29th August 2005

Ky's POV

My dress whipped in the wind as the portkey transported us to a dark, draughty space. Before I could make a move, I was disarmed. I fingered the invisible ring on my left hand, I was banking on getting my wand on it so I could let Harry know where we were taken to.

I blinked, trying for my eyes to readjust to the lighting, listening for any familiar sounds in the dark night. I narrowed my eyes, straining them to make out anything and just realised…we were in a cave.

I glanced down, at the little body laid carefully on the ground with a rolled up suit coat as a pillow and I fell to my knees, cradling Bane's head gently, feeling for a pulse and relief flooded me at his little heartbeat. I kissed his forehead quickly, as I would often do when he slept, and I glared up at Blaise, and wasn't surprised to find he was no longer alone, four masked death eaters stood behind him, barely visible in the weak rays of wandlight.

"Where's Potter?" One of the masked men asked Blaise.

"I was told to bring Thornton and the boy."

"You know full well what he meant by that. He meant Potter. The boy was just bait." The man snapped, and Blaise shrugged, his shirt sleeves rolled up showing his faded dark mark. I noticed the coat under Bane's head matched his trousers and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"He should have specified. Now, I delivered on my side, you deliver on yours."

The masked man didn't respond and I watched Blaise's anger grow on his fine features…this was unlike the Blaise I once knew, who had the impeccable ability to look cool and calm amidst floods or flames.

I rose to my feet, "In five minutes this cave is going to be filled with aurors."

"How? Your little magic ring trick won't work without a wand."

I felt the blood drain from my face at the words the masked death eater spoke.

Little magic ring trick.

Only people I trusted with my very life knew that Harry and I were married, let alone that we had enchanted rings.

"Who are you?" I spat, terrified of a betrayal but also adamant it was not possible.

"Shut up, Thornton." Blaise barked at me and I growled back at him. "What, what you going to do without a wand? Has living among filthy muggles turned you into a filthy muggle?"

I launched at him and he dodged, barking out a laugh, "You're a joke." He spat. "Wandless, you're just a pathetic woman!"

I kicked him, and he grabbed my foot, but I swung up with my other leg and caught him on his left ribs, as I fell hard onto the floor, immediately feeling pain in my shoulder and foot, but I didn't relent to it, jumping off and onto Blaise amongst the raucous laughter of the masked men around us.

He fell to the floor, and I punched him, straddling him and grabbing for his wand but he didn't let go, squeezing my hand in his as we wrestled for control. Suddenly a spell shot out, hitting the cave roof just above two of the men and large rocks tumbled down, catching them unaware.

The cave fell silent, and I felt Blaise's hand move on its own accord, but his wand didn't point at me, still holding my hand, he hit the third death eater with a stunner, sending another at the fourth but he dodged it.

I jumped off Blaise, realising the man's move for what it was and ran for Bane, but just before I reached him, I saw the black cloak flutter before me…

"NO!" I screamed, and it covered the loud click of apparition as the last remaining death eater took Bane away… and my knees found the ground.

No.

-x-x-x-

We landed back onto the spot we left not fifteen minutes ago to find the room completely empty, the cavernous hall making me feel smaller and more unhinged.

The wedding must have been cut short, so I ran up the closest stairs, passing muggles undergoing obliviation, "Mr Weasley!"

"Oh dear, Ky!" I ran to the tall redhead, "OH!"

"No, no, he's okay!" I stood in front of Blaise before Mr Weasley attacked him, "Where's Harry!"

"Back in the room you girls were using to get ready, they've convened there!" His face was torn between following me, or staying to oversee that the statute of secrecy was being maintained, and I was glad he decided with the latter as I didn't want company right now.

I sprinted towards the small room that was converted into a bridal suite for the day.

I barged in, heading straight for jet black hair, "Harry! Harry! Look at your ring!" There was a cacophony of people shouting my name and then angry yells, and I just remembered Blaise, "NO!" I shouted, stepping in front of him, "He helped me!"

"Ky, what happened!" I ignored Mi and ran straight at Harry, grabbing his hand, his ring already visible, he must have been keeping an eye on it, understanding what I meant by he could find me. The band was blank and I let his hand fall back in frustration. I had slipped my ring into Bane's pocket back in the cave, just in case we were separated.

"Ky, breathe, deep breaths." I realised that Harry's face was swimming in front of me and I shook my head, I can't be freaking out now, this wasn't time for tears. I knew something like this would happen, I should have made more contingency plans. I should have put a trace on Bane. I shouldn't have left him all weekend. I took a deep breath, feeling like I was about to throw up.

I turned to Blaise.

"You have to tell us everything."

"Maybe you have to tell us everything first." Mi looked gravely between me and Harry, "Who was that child?"

I glanced about the room, finding it far too crowded. I looked at Harry and he nodded at his team, "Could we have the room?"

All of the unfamiliar faces left, "Is this okay?"

I nodded, evaluating the room, trusting everyone that remained. I noticed that Roger had his wand steady on Blaise, and so did Alex Silver. Draco had been sat in the corner, paler than ever. Ron was comforting Hermione, whilst Neville and Luna were stood with Rolf and Theseus in the back of the room. Bill and Fleur had just entered.

I knew the best way to get everyone to help is to appease their curiosity, we were wasting time explaining but, I took a deep calming breath. The sooner I tell them the sooner they can help me find Bane.

"He is Sev's son." The room responded in verbal surprise at my words, "Sev had a girlfriend."

"Maria?" Bill gasped, "Ileana's cousin?"

"What!" Ron choked out, his eyebrows almost fusing with his hairline in surprise, "Our Ileana. Charlie's wife Ileana."

I nodded, "Maria was pregnant when he…died. And she died soon after." I glanced at Blaise who glared back at me, I had a feeling he had recently found out the full details surrounding her death, which is why he was so against me, "I'll give you all the details you want but for now, all you need to know is Severus Snape's son has been taken. The man who laid his life down for us all, and who defied the dark lord countless times, his son," My voice broke, "His…My." I glanced up at Harry, not able to speak any more.

As much as Bane was Sev and Maria's flesh and blood, I was the one that raised him. My whole life revolved around him. He was my son, and he was the only reason I managed to push through the terrible grief that wanted to consume me after the war.

"He is taken." I muttered and I felt Harry come closer, trying to catch my words, "And we need to find him." I tried to be louder, and what little composure I could hold broke as I turned fully to Harry, and I knew I had no right, I had hurt this man repeatedly, I had been more bad than good in his life, I didn't deserve to ask anything of him yet I had no shame as I begged him, "You need to find him. Please."

Harry pulled me to him, "Shhh, shhh. Okay. Of course." Not letting go of me, he turned to Alex, "Could you put a 421 out, I think the photographer got pictures of the kid, they've confiscated her camera, you can use a photo from there."

He nodded, leaving with a swish of a cloak.

"Zabini, start talking."

Blaise swallowed, glancing at Draco who had been inspecting his old friend. I imagine he was feeling far worse at Blaise's betrayal than Teddy's. Teddy afterall had not been around for years, and whilst Draco was initially livid at being lied to, but coming back when he needed us the most did thaw his ice out considerably. Blaise however, had become family to him. Despite living in different countries, they saw each other regularly, and Draco was his daughter's godfather, and I know he planned on asking him to be Scorpius'. He was one of three people who had full access to Malfoy Manor, not even Narcissa could get into all the spaces Blaise was permitted to slither in, granted more for her safety than anything else, but, it was still an unshakeable trust.

"Blaise." Draco quietly urged.

"Two months ago, my daughter, Chloe, was taken."

Draco stood, "What!"

"I work for the International Confederation of Wizards" He glanced at the room, this information was for their benefit, and that was odd. Blaise wasn't considerate, "But I'm low level, this sort of thing only happens to senior staff, usually as blackmail to push legislature through. I recieved a letter, and it told me they'd bring her back, unharmed, all I had to do was keep her disappearance a secret and…" He looked up at the ceiling, "I don't understand why they asked me to do this, Chloe is all I have."

"What, Zabini?" Roger prodded, and I leaned against Harry, suddenly feeling scared, it must have been bad if he was stalling like this.

Surprisingly, a single tear rolled down Blaise's left cheek, "They told me to give Astoria…Astoria a potion. They said it wasn't a poison. They promised me. But I didn't know what was in it. She was already sick…so…"

"What!" Draco spat, taking a shocked step forward, "WHAT!"

"Draco, they said it wouldn't kill her, and they had Chloe, and they said they were going to kill her!"

"You killed-"

"No! No! I didn't! She…yes…she got a lot worse after she drank it, but she didn't die from that! She was already sick." He added weakly, and I looked at him, horrified. I remember Draco saying that Blaise had just been to visit the day before I had arrived. I only came back to try and help Astoria, who Teddy heard had taken a fast turn for the worse and there was a strong possibility she would lose the baby and die.

Could whatever Blaise had given her caused that? Why would someone want to harm the Malfoys? What did that have to do with Bane?

"YOU!" Malfoy sprung across the room but Ron and Neville grabbed him.

"I'm so sorry." Blaise said weakly, "They had Chloe."

"They still have her." I spoke up, looking at Draco imploringly, reminding him the position Blaise was in, that we were all in, "They have Chloe, and Bane. Blaise, you have to tell us everything."

He nodded at me, "They contacted me again, told me that I did a good job, but I had to stay put for more instructions. Weeks went by, they'd send me weekly updates, pictures of her."

"You should have told us." Harry said angrily, "How can we help if you don't tell us."

"I was in Budapest when she was taken, and I doubt you lot have jurisdiction there. I didn't trust the Hungarian authorities, they're notoriously corrupt. They had taken the child of a delagate of the IWC as hostage, I didn't think they were making false threats and I wouldn't risk my daughter's life on it."

I nodded, understanding what a horrible predicament he was in right now. There was very little I wouldn't do to get Bane back, and if I was being honest, it felt more like I'd do anything to get him back safely…

"I heard next from them on Friday morning, I got a letter saying that I should go to Shell Cottage, four men will accompany me, and I should wear whatever disguise they bring. They told me at some point, Harry Potter will appear, and I should make it look like I wanted to kill him. This was an odd request, they were very clear that I shouldn't kill you myself, I should just make it look like I was going to, throw weak killing curses at you, easily missable ones. They told me Ky Dumbledore will likely show up, and I wasn't to attack her. Once she arrived, I was okay to leave."

The room remained quiet, digesting what was said.

"This morning a man showed up, masked, no discernible features. He told me that there was a child at Malfoy Manor, and I was to get him out of there, take him to this wedding and use him as bait. He kept referring to Potter as a boy, it was weird, because, it's been a while since we were boys. But he said 'the boy will be there since it was the boy's best friends getting married, and the boy would be distracted by the girl's presence'. He said he'd make sure that I had a way in from the back exit after the formalities, and that I should bring the child, and make sure that the boy and girl would follow me. That there would be a white scarf tied to the back door, and that it was a portkey scheduled for 2am. I thought if I brought all three of you there, there'd kill me as they would get exactly what they wanted, and there would be no use for me. So I gambled, and pretended to be incompetent and just brought two of you, claiming to misunderstand that when he said 'boy' he meant Potter. I helped Thornton escape, baiting her into a fight, but one of them got away, and took the kid."

"Where were you taken to?"

"Hogsmeade caves." Of course, I thought, I should have realised.

"And they didn't say what they wanted with any of us?"

Blaise shook his head, "Just that they didn't want you dead. None of you. Not even the kid, but he was the lowest priority."

"What?" I muttered, horrified.

"He said if it got to a point where I had to make a decision, Thornton and Potter had higher priority than the child, in terms of safety."

"That makes no sense. Why would they want them alive?" Bill muttered.

Mi hugged herself, "Well…" She glanced at Harry, "Sounds awfully a lot like…Voldemort. Referring to you as boy…this obsession with wanting you taken alive? Also, if that's Snape's son…the man who betrayed him-"

"No!" I snapped, and she glanced up at me, surprised and then quickly apologetic for painting such a vivid picture, but I shook my head, "Voldemort's dead. Harry would know if he wasn't…right?"

He nodded, "I've not felt any pain in my scar. But I don't know if I would…I mean I went years without my scar hurting as a child. And there'd be signs, we've been keeping an eye on things. Yes, there are still a few key death eaters uncaptured, but, we definitely have them on the run. Do we have any updates on Trevor Nott?"

Roger shook his head, "We don't know how long he has been out for, and no new sightings since he was spotted in London." Roger frowned, "Theodore Nott was your friend, you'd have recognised if it were his father instructing you?"

Zabini nodded confidently, "That wasn't Trevor Nott. I would know his voice, and his demeanor, and his smell." Draco and him exchanged a glance, but the blonde boy didn't seem to want to share in nostalgia right now.

"And it's likely he was using a voice changing charm." Roger stated defeated, "Could we have the letters?" He asked, and Blaise shook his head.

"Ignited after reading. Look, I know I fucked up," Blaise glanced at Draco, bristling at the angry look on his best friend's face, "You fucked up too." He said, suddenly defensive, "You helped her when you know that she's the reason Daphne is dead! I didn't even know that! I had to find out from Astoria on her fucking deathbed."

"Fine, we're even, you happy!" Draco shouted.

"Look, it's not important. Please," Blaise looked around the room, "You have to help me get Chloe too. I…I…was hoping it just looked like Thornton overpowered me in our fight, and hopefully they think I escaped and I'm not a liability to them, but if they know that I'm telling you this…"

"Give a photo to Alex." Harry's voice was steady at my ear, "He'll do the same he is doing for…Bane? Is there anything else at all you remember Zabini, anything?"

Blaise contemplated the question, and then shook his head in the negative, and rushed for the door, Roger following him with a sharp eye. I turned to Harry.

"They told me that my little magic ring trick won't work. Did you tell anybody at all?"

Harry frowned, "No, nobody, not even Ron and Hermione."

"Tell us what?" Mi moved forward, "What magic ring?"

I hesitated, and so did Harry, we had both kept this secret for so long. Just then the doors barged open, and Alex ran in, his face pale.

"What is it?"

"It's Woodbury, the officiant… he's dead."

"What?" Harry gasped, as Ron swore in shock.

"They just found his body upstairs, outside the Cadogan Gallery. It was magical, killing curse."

"Why would someone kill that poor old man!" Luna looked horrified.

"He was up near the balcony near the Cadogan Gallery, he could have seen something. Wrong place, wrong time. Zabini says it wasn't him. His wand supports it. Most of the guests were downstairs at the time. Actually," Alex looked surprised, "You two were up in the gallery, did you hear anything, see anybody?"

Harry and I looked at each other, slightly embarrassed. We were both so consumed with our own drama, the impending de-Vowment, I don't think either of us were paying much attention.

Godric, we must have been the last people to see that poor man alive.

"No." Harry answered for us, "But what is clear is that someone at this wedding has been helping Zabini." Harry muttered, "Someone helped him get in to the wedding, they made sure that exit was clear. Squidgley was meant to be stationed there, where was he?" But I stilled as I focused on Harry's words.

If we found out who had been helping Blaise, we were a step closer to finding Bane.

"Zabini said he was asked to go to Shell Cottage on Friday, but you said the chatter around my remains had begun on Thursday, that's why they were looking to move the graves."

"Yeah, Hannah overheard it and told Ridley." Neville added with a hint of pride.

"Blaise didn't say anything about going to the Leaky Cauldron the day before and starting the rumour…he was just told to go to Shell Cottage and you would show up."

"And Dung insists nobody saw five cloaked men in Knockturn Alley that day…"

Harry's eyes narrowed as we both seemed to reach the same conclusion.

"Where's Hannah?"

"What!" Neville's face grew shades paler, "Why, would you-"

"Neville, where is she!" I just remembered that we did see someone near the gallery that Woodbury's body was discovered.

"She's gone with Ginny to the Burrow, keep her company seeing as she's not feeling very well." Luna answered from her corner.

"Harry!"

"I know!" And with a snap, he was gone.

-x-x-x-

Harry was already running up the stairs to the house, and I followed close behind.

"Harry?" A female auror standing at the entrance of the Burrow looked at him in surprise as he hurtled passed.

"GINNY! Ginny!"

"What?" The voice came from the kitchen, just as another auror descended the stairs, clearly the house was well guarded. Harry and I looked confused at each other, we were so sure to find Ginny in danger.

We entered the Burrow's kitchen and the redhead groaned, "Am I to be haunted by you two. Can I have no peace. Thank you Hannah."

"NO!" I flung a spell at the tea cup and it crashed into the wall.

"What is wrong with you! That's part of my mother's favourite set!" Ginny screamed but she had become distracted by Harry disarming Hannah and binding her wrists with conjured ropes.

I went over to the wall, and sniffed at the remenants of the tea, conjuring a vial and scooping a bit carefully from the cup.

"Honestly, you two-"

"Was there poison in that?" Harry screamed at Hannah, just as more people filled the house, guessing where we had run off to.

"No." Hannah shook her head, calmly. "Why would you think such a thing?"

"Theseus?"

"On it." The tall auror strode forward at my word, pouring a little bit of clear liquid into an empty cup, and passing it to the woman.

"Drink it." Harry commanded. Hannah, surprisingly, complied.

Neville had just arrived, out of breath as he probably apparated too far away in his worry, "Harry! What! Hannah! Untie her!"

Ron grabbed Neville before he could disrupt them, "Were you about to poison Ginevra Molly Weasley?" Harry's voice was clear, it was definitely not his first time interrogating someone under truth serum.

"No, I was not going to poison Ginevra Molly Weasley."

"Let her go!" Neville shouted but there was no moving out of Ron's grip.

"Did you kill Mr Woodbury?"

"Yes."

Neville stopped struggling.

"Why?"

"Because the man told me."

"Which man? This man?" Harry held out Trevor Nott's wanted poster that he had been carrying in his pocket, as per auror protocol.

She shook her head in the negative.

"Can you describe him?"

She shook her head.

"We could get Cognitive on her, they'll be able to get it out." Harry muttered, straightening up, "Do you know where the children are? Chloe Zabini and," Harry glanced up at me for Bane's full name and I looked around the room before I responded.

"Severus Quilinus Snape.

She shook her head.

"Did you see five people talking about Ky Dumbledore's remains at the Leaky Cauldron."

She shook her head.

"The man said that you should say that?"

She nodded.

"Did he say why?"

She shook her head.

"Did he tell you anything else?"

She didn't respond, and Harry knew she wouldn't, open ended questions don't work that well in interrogations, even with veritaserum.

I stepped forward, in between Theseus and Harry and looked down at Hannah, "Did the man tell you to encourage Harry and I to be together?"

I had found it odd how vociferous the girl was in favour of Harry and I, even though she and Ginny clearly had a close friendship.

She nodded.

I folded my arms, and I caught Theseus' wary look as the room looked puzzled at that.

"We should let Cognitive have a look, see what memories they can pull. She's clearly been imperiused."

"No!" Neville spat, "No, Harry, please! You can't go snooping around her head, she's…please."

"Okay." I calmed Neville down with a comforting hand, "We won't."

"Ky-"

"The person has probably been just as careful with Hannah as they were with Blaise, probably a mask when imperiusing her. Neville's right, it's not worth poking around her mind."

Harry looked as if he wanted to argue, but didn't at the look I was giving him, he knows Neville has good reason to not want people meddling with his girlfriend's head.

Harry turned to Neville, "We'll have to keep an eye on her, just in case. She can stay with you. We'll need people watching if this person tries to make contact."

Neville nodded, a horrified look on his face. Even though she was imperiused he just found out his girlfriend had murdered someone.

"This is so bizarre." Mi muttered, "Why would someone want you and Harry back together? Is it like a weird stalker thing?"

I glanced down at the vial in my hand, "Could you get this analysed?"

Harry nodded, and one of the aurors stationed at the Burrow stepped forward.

I glanced about the room, more pieces of the puzzle falling into place. Theseus was staring at me, probably approaching the same conclusion I was.

"Erm, not to be rude, but, who are you?" Ron had been staring at Rolf and Theseus with wary blue eyes.

"Ah, apologies on wedding crashing." Rolf laughed good naturedly, "You see, we needed to keep an eye on Ky."

"She has plenty of eyes on her." Harry stared at Theseus and I sighed, but the man responded before I could.

"Considering the fact she was taken, doesn't seem like you're doing a good job."

"Okay!" I announced to the kitchen, "Should I get a ruler, or should we eyeball it. Want to drop your trousers to get a more accurate measurement?"

Harry rolled his eyes and Theseus chuckled, "Savage."

"What?" Harry snapped.

"I was talking to her." It was Theseus' turn to roll his eyes, "This one's pricklier than a knarl."

"This one has a name, okay."

"I know your name, Harry Potter." Theseus teased, stifling a smirk and I chided him with my eyes.

Harry caught that and his face fell, and I sighed. I could kick Theseus for that stupid engaged lie.

I walked forward, taking Harry's hand both to calm him down and check his ring. Ginny had left the kitchen a few minutes ago, and so had most of the Weasleys, just Ron and Hermione remained, so I didn't let Harry's hand go, and I watched his face lighten.

"So, these are friends of yours?"

I bit my lip and Theseus smiled at Ron's words, "Not exactly."

"I'm Rolf Scamander." Rolf waved good naturedly at the room, "A magizoologist."

"Are you related to Newt Scamander!" Mi gasped. If I wasn't consumed with worry over my missing child I'd have laughed at her excitement, it was as if Rolf was the grandchild of a rockstar.

"My grandfather!" Rolf said with pride. "And that's Theseus."

Theseus nodded a greeting to the room.

"He's chatty." Ron muttered, and I gave him a fleeting smile, which he focused on for a long moment, and then walked over to me, "I'm so sorry about Bane, Ky. We're going to figure it out."

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and looked up at Harry, "We will…We already have aurors scouring Hogsmeade, and the surrounding areas, even if there is a small chance they're there. It is quite likely that they have left after you escaped and there was a chance that you notified us of their whereabouts."

"Do you have any potential threats being monitored in that area? It could just be someone familiar with the place? Though, that could be anybody who went to Hogwarts?" Mi groaned in frustration, "That's every witch or wizard in Great Britain and Ireland."

"Well, we could just…go there?" Rolf added, a hopeful look on his face.

Theseus glared at him, "We're not going on some stupid excursion just so you can see Hogwarts. Could you be serious for five minutes, Bane is missing!"

He looked affronted, "I'm being completely serious!"

"He has a point." Mi muttered, "If they're looking at Hogsmeade, they should look at Hogwarts too."

"But why would someone take him to Hogwarts? It's the safest place on earth." Ron puzzled, "Though, I suppose it would be pretty empty since it's summer vacation, and McGonagall, Pomfrey, Sprout and Flitwick are away on some big trip all summer. Neville mentioned it at the Bachelor party, his had to share staying over at Hogwarts with Slughorn and Hagrid most break. They're not allowed to keep the school completely empty of staff."

"Maybe we should just go. Have a look ourselves." I looked to Harry and he shook his head.

"We have aurors and voluntary ministry officials searching already. If too many of us go, they'll notice and move. Remember, this is a magical kidnapping case, not a muggle one, they can flee much easier here."

I nodded, and I must have had a very sad look on my face to make Harry tilt my chin up affectionately.

"What we could do is go to Malfoy Manor and get some of Bane's clothes. We have trained crup who are excellent at tracking."

I nodded, hastening to the door, and then yelped, my adrenaline fading and suddenly aware that I had hurt both my shoulder and foot in the fight earlier.

"What is it?" Mi got to me first.

"Shoulder. Foot." I mumbled, "It's okay, I'll be fine."

"Ky-"

"I'll be fine!" I snapped at Harry, and he raised his hands.

"I'm sure you will be. But perhaps using the floo would be safer?"

I nodded sheepishly, expecting some kind of chiding about Mungo's or rest, and happy to not get any.

In a swirl of green flames we were once more, at Malfoy Manor.

A/N: I've done a lot of writing recently, so I thought I'd post an extra chapter in the week every now and again! I hope you enjoyed this one, thank you for reading it! What do you think of the pace at the moment? Is it too slow? I'm a bit worried about that so any feedback you can offer will be much appreciated!

Have a lovely day!

Kalina